What is Paella?https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/paella/
Paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish that is cooked in a wide, shallow pan and typically features a combination of meats, seafood, and vegetables. Although paella originated in Valencia, it has become popular throughout Spain and around the world, leading to various regional and personal adaptations. Different versions may include a variety of meats and seafood, vegetables, and distinct seasonings, while still sharing many common elements.
A key feature of paella is the socarrat, the crispy layer of rice that forms at the bottom of the pan during cooking. Many people cherish this part of the dish and often compete for the crispy bits.
My version is known as Paella Mixta, which combines both meats and seafood. You can easily modify this recipe by omitting the meats and focusing solely on seafood, or customizing it in any way you prefer.
One prized element of paella is called the socarrat, which is the crispy layer of rice that develops on the bottom of the pan during cooking. Many people enjoy it and even fight over the crispy bits.
Paella Ingredients
Saffron. Soaked in water to let the flavor bloom. Saffron is the most important spice in paella, really defining the dish.
Chicken Broth. Or use chicken stock or vegetable broth.
Olive Oil.
Vegetables. Onion, bell peppers (or use hotter peppers to your preference, though Spanish paella is not meant to be a hot and spicy dish), garlic, and tomatoes.
Chicken. I use chicken thigh, though chicken breast is good, too.
Spanish Chorizo. This is controversial to some Spanish cooks, but I prefer it.
Seasonings. Spanish paprika (I prefer smoked paprika, though hot or sweet are great, too), red chili flakes (optional, for spicy), salt, bay leaf, and parsley. See my post on What is Paprika to learn more about your paprika options.
Spanish Rice. See recipe notes.
Seafood. Shrimp and mussels. You can use other seafood as well. See the recipe notes.
Garnish. Extra red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley, and lemon.
Paella in a pan, ready to serve
How to Make Paella - the Recipe Method
Bloom the Saffron. Add the pinch of saffron to a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup of water to let the saffron bloom.
Heat the Chicken Broth. Add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until needed.
Cook Meats and Vegetables. While the broth is heating, heat the oil in a large skillet or pan (I use a large paella pan) over medium heat.
Add the onion, peppers, chicken, and Spanish chorizo sausage. Cook for 8 minutes to soften the vegetables and cook the chicken mostly through.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Cooking vegetables, chicken, and chorizo to make paella
Tomatoes and Seasonings. Stir in the tomatoes, saffron (with water), paprika, chili flakes (if using), and salt. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add the Rice. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute to lightly brown the rice.
Adding Spanish rice to the paella pan
Add Hot Broth. Pour in the hot chicken broth and shake the pan to distribute. Do not stir the rice, as we want it to cook evenly and develop a crispy bottom.
Sprinkle in the parsley and add the bay leaves.
Simmer the Paella. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender to your preference. You may need a bit longer, depending on the heat.
Simmering paella in a large pan
If the rice is not yet tender, add a bit more chicken broth as needed and cook a bit longer.
Cook the Seafood. Tuck the shrimp and mussels into the top of the rice and cover - use a large lid or aluminum foil.
Cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp and mussels cook through, and a crispy crust forms on the bottom of the pan. This is the socarrat, which many people love.
For Serving. Remove from heat, garnish with red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and serve.
Paella in a pan with lots of seafood
Boom! Done! Your paella is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Serve it as a flavorful side dish, or make an extra batch and serve it as your main.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Best Rice for Paella
Short-grain rice is essential for good paella, as it absorbs liquid more easily and cooks evenly. Look for Bomba Rice, which is a short-grain Spanish rice, often referred to as Valencia rice.
If you are unable to find it in the grocery store, look for a good-quality short-grain rice. You can use medium-grain rice if you must, but definitely do not use long-grain rice.
Arborio rice is often mentioned as a substitute, but arborio rice is a creamier rice ideal for risotto, so I personally would not use it.
Best Seafood for Paella
Shrimp and mussels are ideal for a good seafood paella, though you have many options. Consider scallops, crab, flaky fish, squid or calamari, clams, or others. I've made it with crawfish and loved it.
Paella is one of those dishes that is so easy to change up to your preference, as many cooks around the world do. Feel free to add in other vegetables, such as green peas, sweet corn, spicy chilies, fresh herbs, and more.
I add chicken and Spanish chorizo, but other meats are welcome here, such as pork, duck, rabbit, or ground meats, and even tofu. You can also skip the meats and serve a seafood paella very easily.
You can also deglaze the pan with white wine before adding the rice to develop the flavors differently.
Why Boil the Chicken Broth?
Heating your chicken broth before adding it to the rice will save you cooking time, as the broth will already be to temperature when added. It also ensures a more even cook and consistency of the rice, which is important in making a good paella.
Good rice is key. If you add cold chicken broth, you'll need extra time to heat it through, and you may encounter inconsistencies throughout the pan. I prefer to heat the broth through before adding.
The Socarrat - Crispy Rice
When you leave the paella pan cooking on your stove top, especially over an open flame, the rice at the bottom of the pan will crisp up and darken. This is called the "socarrat", and it is prized by traditional paella lovers.
Socarrat means "to singe". It is very much like "pegao" at the bottom of a pan of Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo.
Some might consider this scorched rice at the bottom of the pan a mistake, but others love it and consider paella properly made only when the socarrat is achieved.
You can skip it if desired, or turn up the heat during the last few minutes of cooking to crisp up the bottom layer of rice. Just be careful not to burn it.
Paella Pan - You can use a large pan to make paella, but a paella pan makes it so much better.
Paella in a pan with mussels, shrimp, sausage, and chicken
My favorite paella recipe is loaded with lots of Spanish rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp and more, huge on flavor, easy to make, and perfect for a crowd.
Course: Main Course Cuisine: Spanish Keyword: rice, saffron, seafood, Spanish rice Prep Time: 15minutes minutes Cook Time: 40minutes minutes
Ingredients
1 pinch saffron
6 cups chicken broth + more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped (use jalapeno or other for spicier)
1/2 pound chicken chopped (use thigh or breast)
1/2 pound Spanish chorizo sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika, I use smoked
1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional, for spicy
Salt to taste
2 cups Spanish Rice Bomba Rice
3 tablespoon parsley chopped + more for garnish
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound mussels cleaned and debearded
For Serving. Fresh chopped parsley, red chili flakes, and lemon
Instructions
Add the pinch of saffron to a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup of water to let the saffron bloom.
Add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until needed.
While the broth is heating, heat the oil in a large pan (I use a large paella pan) to medium heat.
Add the onion, peppers, chicken, and Spanish chorizo sausage. Cook for 8 minutes to soften the vegetables and cook the chicken mostly through.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, saffron (with water), paprika, chili flakes (if using), and salt. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook for 1 minute to lightly brown the rice.
Pour in the hot chicken broth and shake the pan to distribute. Do not stir the rice, as we want it to cook evenly and develop a crispy bottom.
Sprinkle in the parsley and add the bay leaves.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender to your preference. If the rice is not yet tender, add a bit more chicken broth as needed and cook a bit longer.
Tuck the shrimp and mussels into the top of the rice and cover - use a large lid or aluminum foil.
Cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp and mussels cook through, and a crispy crust forms on the bottom of the pan. This is the socarrat, which many people love.
Remove from heat, garnish, and serve.
